Mayors ask Harper government to intervene in Air Canada , Aveos dispute

Mayors of the three cities of Montreal Quebec, Winnipeg Manitoba, and Mississauga Ont. have jointly asked the Prime Minister Stephen Harper to call for a meeting between Aveos and Air Canada. The idea is to keep Aveos operating so as to save jobs.
The three mayors say they have spoken to the president of Air Canada and he said we would participate in such discussions. Aveos has ceased operations terminating 3,300 jobs.
The mayors claim that Air Canada has an obligation to keep main the repair services under the terms of the Air Canada Public Participation Act. Air Canada has begun outsourcing maintenance. Some maintenance is now done in China.For more see this CBC article.
When Air Canada was privatized an Act was passed that imposed certain obligations on the privatized company. Dave Ritchie who is Canadian General Vice President of the IAMAW explains the situation this way.:“The act stipulates that Air Canada must maintain aircraft heavy maintenance facilities or have such work performed at facilities in Winnipeg, Mississauga and Montreal,” Aveos had aircraft maintenance facilities in all three cities.. But now Ritchie claims:“Since Air Canada is pulling this work from these facilities and seeking alternative suppliers, AVEOS has subsequently ceased operations affecting 1,785 highly skilled workers in Montreal, 412 in Winnipeg and 356 in Vancouver,”
The union took Air Canada to court when it privatized its maintenance work. Ritchie goes on:. “This is exactly why we took Air Canada to court when it sold its maintenance unit to Aveos. We knew this could happen and now it has. Air Canada has an obligation to these workers, their families and the Air Canada Public Participation Act.” Apparently their obligation to make a profit and please their shareholders takes priority. See this article.